Public health
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We aimed to compare the prevalence of depression and anxiety symptoms before and during the pandemic and identify factors associated with aggravated mental health symptoms. ⋯ Depressive and anxiety symptoms had a 6.6- and 7.4-fold increase since the COVID-19 pandemic. Public policies such as physical activity promotion and strategies to reduce the economic strain caused by this pandemic are urgently needed to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on mental health.
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We examine associations between infant mortality rates (IMRs) and measures of structural racism and socio-economic marginalization in Chicago, Illinois. Our purpose was to determine whether the Index of Concentration at the Extremes (ICE) was significantly related to community-level IMRs. ⋯ We show that structural racism as represented by the ICE is independently related to IMRs in Chicago; community areas with the largest concentrations of Blacks residents compared with Whites are those with the highest IMRs. This relationship persists even after controlling for socio-economic marginalization, hardship, household composition/family support, and healthcare access. Interventions to improve birth outcomes must address structural determinants of health inequities.
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Observational Study
Racial disparities in COVID-19 hospitalizations do not lead to disparities in outcomes.
The objective of the study is the identification of racial differences in characteristics and comorbidities in patients hospitalized for COVID-19 and the impact on outcomes. ⋯ Higher prevalence of obesity and diabetes in young Black populations may be the critical factor driving disproportionate COVID-19 hospitalizations in Black populations. Hospitalized Black patients do not have worse outcomes compared with White patients.
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Observational Study
Doubled mortality rate during the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy: quantifying what is not captured by surveillance.
It is important to quantify the true burden of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in different countries, to enable informed decisions about imposing and relaxing control measures. COVID-19 surveillance data fails in this respect, as it is influenced by different definitions, control policies and capacities. This article aims to quantify excess mortality and estimate the distribution between COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 causes of death. ⋯ The impact of COVID-19 during the early stages of the pandemic is much larger than official figures have reported. Monitoring excess mortality helps to capture the full effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, which differs between regions in Italy and which might have resulted in significant indirect effects on the well-being of the population. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic has also resulted in significant indirect effects on the well-being of the population.